I don’t know about you, but we ploughed through our fair share of gin this summer over lock-down. A refreshing G-and-sugar-free-T is my go-to tipple around the braai, and we came up with this idea one night when there was very little left in the bottle. I had never used alcohol before in an ‘ice-cream’, but I actually think it improves the consistency (since alcohol cannot freeze), so the lollies retained their creaminess. As for the flavour, I did have to add sweetener because no one wants to EAT a bitter G&T as a dessert, but the quintessential flavours of gin, tonic and the all-important Aromatic Angostura Bitters is evident. Subtle, but actually quite lovely. Speaking of Bitters, this must be the only product in the history of everything I have ever known that has not changed its label in 40+ years. Seriously… the bottle of Bitters we have in our home right now looks exactly the same as the one I recall my dad had in his drinks cabinet in 1982… LOL!
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Carbs 1g | Fat 22g | Protein 0.7g
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If you have some fresh fish available, I would highly recommend whipping up a quick ceviche! I tried ceviche for the first time in Costa Rica and loved it so much, I ordered it every time we went out to eat just to compare which little local restaurant made it the best. Well, they were all fabulous – and they all added their own little twists. Anyway, Funnyman and I enjoyed this with my Keto Mixed Seed Crackers for a delicious, fresh summer lunch. I also stirred through diced Pickled Avocado (in place of regular avocado) as I had just made a small batch, and it added a lovely flavour dimension. NOTE: If you prefer not to use limes, lemon juice will work equally well, but I love the classic combo of lime, coriander and chilli. Enjoy!
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Carbs 2.7g | Fat 6.2g | Protein 22g
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The people that pack rock-hard, under-ripe avocados into “ripe and ready” packaging are the first people I will come back and haunt one day! If you feel the same way, here is a great way to use up avocados that you have already sliced up, but are clearly not ready to eat. Simply pickle them in a clean jar along with vinegar, water and some other bits! I used mustard seeds, black peppercorns, coriander and chillies – but you can play around with other herbs and whole spices that will add a little flavour to your pickling liquid. I used one large avocado for this recipe and based the macros on this serving two people as a snack or condiment, so adjust accordingly. You could also dice up the pickled avo slices and use them in salads or Ceviche, like we did. Enjoy!
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Carbs 1.5g | Fat 15g | Protein 1.5g
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This is a simple and delicious coleslaw made using my Easy Homemade Mayonnaise. I also ‘quick-pickled’ finely chopped red onions (which add even more crunch) before stirring through freshly chopped parsley for additional fresh flavour! Hello low carb summer BBQs!
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Carbs 2.7g | Fat 16g | Protein 1.4g
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Grilled lamb is a thing of great beauty, but its the show-topping dressing in this recipe will make your BBQ lamb skewers shine this summer! Serve the dipping sauce at room temperature, so make it the same time as you marinate the lamb, then kick your feet up for a bit while your other half prepares the BBQ. Enjoy!
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Carbs 3.9g | Fat 57g | Protein 46g
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Funnyman loves my keto yorkshire puddings and I love pork sausages, so creating a low carb ‘Toad in the Hole’ seemed inevitable. Traditionally, Toad in the Hole is served with some form of gravy, but we enjoyed this as a summer meal, so I scattered over my favourite (super-easy) homemade relish which cuts through the richness perfectly. Made from tomatoes and garlic, the fresh Tomato and Garlic relish adds the perfect amount of sweetness, flavour and juice to every mouthful. I hope you love it as much as we do!
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Carbs 12g | Fat 49g | Protein 12g
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In case you didn’t already know, ‘Boerewors’ is a beloved South African sausage that boasts a very unique flavour (coriander seeds and a hint of allspice). I actually have a Boerewors recipe on this site if you are up for the challenge of making your own sausages, but if you aren’t (and long for the flavour … hello fellow South Africans living abroad!) or simply curious to know what all the fuss is about, I have made an easy version for you to sample – in the form of MEATBALLS! And, to keep things slightly authentic, the tomato sauce I have served them in very loosely mimics a ‘smoor’ – the traditional lightly-spiced tomato sauce that often accompanies our beloved ‘Boerie Rolls’. I recommend you serve this dish with Creamy Cauliflower Rice – I have included the macro-breakdown for the inclusion of that as well below the recipe. Geniet!
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Carbs 6.1g | Fat 29g | Protein 27g
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Like most of you, I have made cauliflower rice, cauliflower mash and cauliflower couscous (just run a search on this site if you want to see those recipes). I love them all and make all three regularly. Here, I wanted to play around with the flavours of the mash I make, but include a little texture. So I pretty much used the best cooking methods to achieve exactly that – and now this version is my favourite! I had no idea what to title it, but “creamy cauliflower rice” seemed to be the most accurate description. Enjoy!
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Carbs 4.2g | Fat 11g | Protein 5.3g
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Who doesn’t love a simple egg mayo salad? Here I simply added finely chopped gherkins (or cornichons) which add a little texture and acidity. I topped the whole lot with crispy bacon and enjoyed this as a side salad at our BBQ. I used my own homemade mayonnaise recipe as I steer clear of the store-bought variety (which usually contains vegetable oil which I avoid like the plague). Enjoy!
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Carbs 1.4g | Fat 27g | Protein 18g
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This super simple salad boasts massive flavours all thanks to toasted sesame oil. With a little rice wine vinegar added for acidity and some sesame seeds for texture and aesthetics, you will love this crunchy slaw on the side of chicken, pork or fish. I stirred through finely chopped coriander and mint which brings another fresh dimension of flavour which I know you will love! Just in time for BBQs this weekend as a lovely salad on the side.
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Carbs 2g | Fat 7.2g | Protein 1g
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This is a delicious and interesting side dish using baked onions drizzled with a flavoured herb butter. The onions bake away in a tightly-packed foil parcel down to a sweet, roasted flavour and the thyme butter lifts it to a sensational level!
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Carbs 5.9g | Fat 14g | Protein 0.9g
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Turkey would not be my first choice of meat on my grocery list, but I had a packet of turkey mince kicking about in the freezer, so I thought they would make great spicy meatballs. However, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to create spicy sausage rolls – small ones. And these came out fabulous! I used the delicious Baharat spice mix blend and flavoured my fathead dough with paprika. Since turkey is such a lean meat, the sweet and spicy mayonnaise is just perfect with every bite. A lot of love and preparation goes into these 8 rolls, but if you follow the method in the order in which I have shown, there is plenty that can be done at the same time. Enjoy!
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Carbs 5.4g | Fat 48g | Protein 29g
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Beautifully-cooked salmon (with soft, moist flesh and crispy skin) doesn’t need much else to make it shine. But here, I played around making a delicious and interesting accompanying sauce by blitzing together roasted red peppers, yogurt and a little sour cream. The creamy and slightly acidic sauce complemented the salmon beautifully without overpowering it, and I am thrilled to share it with you here on Fats of Life! The second time I made this dish, I included finely chopped red chilli for a slightly fiery element, and I highly encourage you to do the same because its lush!
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Carbs 1.7g | Fat 22g | Protein 34g
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I have made several different kinds of cheesecake over the years (Blueberry Cheesecake and a Lime Cheesecake (which features in my new book), but saved a classic one for last. Here, I used a square dish and cut them into 9 squares, but you could follow the same recipe and use a round cake tin. (In that case, you will be slicing into 8 pieces @ 3.6g carbs per slice.) Enjoy these lovely little treats – which freeze well too… :)
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Carbs 3.2g | Fat 36g | Protein 6.4g
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